Okay, so I'm looking into a Cherokee for a second vehicle. The first one is a 1996 Classic, 4.0 auto with about 158k with new tires belt, starter, hoses for $3250. Gonna see it today but owner says it is in great shape and is white.The other is a 2000 Sport 4.0 auto with about 160K but has a know heater core leak, need tires and a few body dents for $2000 and is silver.
Any great improvements from the 1996 model to the 2000 model?

M35A2

05-13-2013 07:29 AM

If the '96 is early, it could be OBDI. Was 2000 the year the head liked to crack?

LAjeep

05-13-2013 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by M35A2
(Post 15426446)

If the '96 is early, it could be OBDI. Was 2000 the year the head liked to crack?

Does OBDI have drawbacks from OBDII?

tjwalker

05-13-2013 05:21 PM

I'm not a big fan of the 00-01 because of the 0331 cylinder head defect. Will all of them crack? Absolutely not. But I answer multiple threads every week from the unlucky ones that have had it happen to them.

96 is okay, but is a hybrid year and has a mix-match of stuff from earlier and later model XJs. The sweet spot for XJs in my opinion is 98-99.

I thought all 96 models had OBDII because it was mandated. Can anyone confirm?

LAjeep

05-14-2013 09:22 AM

So if the 2000 has 160k already, will the cracking problem be more likely to occur as more miles are added or is this something that happens early on? Are there any precautions to take to preclude it from happening? My '01 TJ has the same engine. Also, I looked at the '96 yesterday and wasn't fond of interior design, very dated.

Muddy97Cherokee

05-14-2013 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by tjwalker
(Post 15428836)

I'm not a big fan of the 00-01 because of the 0331 cylinder head defect. Will all of them crack? Absolutely not. But I answer multiple threads every week from the unlucky ones that have had it happen to them.

96 is okay, but is a hybrid year and has a mix-match of stuff from earlier and later model XJs. The sweet spot for XJs in my opinion is 98-99.

I thought all 96 models had OBDII because it was mandated. Can anyone confirm?

97 is the year that you may be thinking of. My 97 is mix matched between the two generations like heck. Not sure if 96 is to but 97's are more likely.

DNFJ

05-14-2013 11:32 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LAjeep
(Post 15431614)

So if the 2000 has 160k already, will the cracking problem be more likely to occur as more miles are added or is this something that happens early on? Are there any precautions to take to preclude it from happening? My '01 TJ has the same engine. Also, I looked at the '96 yesterday and wasn't fond of interior design, very dated.

It's just something to be aware of, I have a '00 and as long as you make sure it doesn't overheat (hell I've overheated mine twice and still no crack) you should be fine.

JeepN4KC

05-14-2013 12:57 PM

You can also do a few things to run cooler than stock.

JeepN4KC

05-14-2013 01:00 PM

OP -

IMO based on the vehicles you described the question isn't which one - it's what you're willing to pay for the first one. :-)

LAjeep

05-14-2013 02:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeepN4KC

OP -

IMO based on the vehicles you described the question isn't which one - it's what you're willing to pay for the first one. :-)

Yea, the '96 was priced too high but was worth a look especially if he's motivated to sell.

Caveman757

05-15-2013 11:39 AM

I'm going to look at a 2000 sport tomorrow that is super clean (according to the pics) and he just recently replaced the motor. Now I know why he probably replaced it. He did have almost 200k on it though. Any other tips to look out for? My daughter is wanting a Cherokee so she can go offroading with me and my wrangler.

DNFJ

05-17-2013 06:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Caveman757
(Post 15436063)

I'm going to look at a 2000 sport tomorrow that is super clean (according to the pics) and he just recently replaced the motor. Now I know why he probably replaced it. He did have almost 200k on it though. Any other tips to look out for? My daughter is wanting a Cherokee so she can go offroading with me and my wrangler.

Ask for receipts of the supposed engine replacement
200k miles isn't that much for a 4.0 if well maintained.

Check diff seals, electrical stuff, all fluids.

Can I come offroading with your daughter and you (mostly your daughter)? :rofl:

DriverX

05-17-2013 04:09 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Muddy97Cherokee
(Post 15432005)

97 is the year that you may be thinking of. My 97 is mix matched between the two generations like heck. Not sure if 96 is to but 97's are more likely.

My '96 is the same way. Sensors are for either 96 or 97, like my TPS is for a 97 style plug

mschi772

05-17-2013 05:04 PM

ALL 96's are OBD2. Mine was built in Sept 95 and is OBD2. It was mandated for all cars 96+.

Seriously, be aware of the 00 and 01 heads, but don't be paranoid about it--the internet exaggerates things like that because fewer people log on to tell stories about things that haven't failed.

Quote:

Originally Posted by mschi772
(Post 14451105)

Guys whose only advice to you is "buy a 99" aren't really helping you much. Some of them just blindly regurgitate that because they read it somewhere when researching Jeeps, and they don't even know why. There are some reasons that 99 is a particularly favored year, but it might be that NONE of them matter to YOU. I mean, what do you want to do with your Cherokee? Is it just going to be a daily driver? Will you wheel it? If so, how often? How hard? What kind (mud, sand, rocks)? Are there any particular modifications/upgrades you'd want to do to it?

I think some people's obsession with 99 is a bit disrespectful to how great all the other XJ's are. Even the 00 and 01 XJ's are worthy of respect that is often denied to them by many. You really can't lose. Many minor and some major changes were made between 84 and 01. I'm sure you can find a list of all the changes out there somewhere; I know I found that info myself once upon a time.

Aside from the normal stuff to look out for with ANY used car, be aware that 84-86 XJ's had GM engines that pale in comparison to the 4.0 of 87-01 (I'm just ignoring the 4 cyl engines that some XJ's had). The pre-91 Renix systems are a bit ... "special" and simply something to be aware of and ready to work with if you're looking at one. 00-01 4.0's have a head with a casting flaw that may or may not crack between cyl 3 and 4. Many of them never crack (or at least haven't after hundreds of thousands of miles), but many do. It's something to watch-out for but not something that should keep you away completely, and you should be aware that identical heads without the casting flaw are out there should you have a crack. The manual trannies are solid as are the autos. The two possible transfer cases are both great. There are a variety of rear ends each with their own advantages and disadvantages, and unless you're planning on doing lots of wheeling, even the weakest of the bunch (D35) will be just peachy. The floor pans are easily the most susceptible to rust on all years. Because of the limited space for a radiator, XJ's are just barely able to maintain their operating temperature, so you have very little room to slack on maintaining the cooling system; luckily the cooling system is a reliable as any other part of the 4.0, so it's not likely to require much work (and any work will be relatively cheap). The stock exhaust manifold cracks easily which can impact the performance and efficiency of your engine negatively. APN makes a replacement header that is a very affordable replacement should you ever need/want one (there are other header options out there as well).

It is my opinion that if you get an XJ with a 4.0 from 91-99, you have virtually nothing but cheap regular maintenance to worry about. If you get an 00 or 01, you just have to make sure to never overheat it (as if you'd ever be OK with overheating any engine), and to pay closer attention to the oil and coolant "health."

LAjeep

05-17-2013 05:19 PM

The 00 that I'm going to look at has 150k but engine was rebuilt by original owner, I'm guessing it might be as a result of cracked head. Is a rebuild less susceptible to the head issue?